Attorney General William Barr is calling for a December summit to confront the continuing threat of mass shootings as part of a federal law enforcement campaign to "refine our ability" to identify attackers before they strike.

 "Targeted killings of innocent people are senseless and cowardly, and demand the full attention of the United States government," the attorney general said in memo to the nation's 94 U.S. attorneys and federal law enforcement agencies. "While we are cognizant that irrational acts of violence by lone actors are very challenging to prevent in every instance, quiet professionals in the department have a strong record of swift action in meeting these threats..."

Barr's announcement comes during turbulent year when a succession of mass shootings have left communities across the country reeling, from El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio, to Aurora, Illinois and Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Read more: USA Today